chapter 12

小石卒

Summary
Chapter 12 explores how our conceptual system is rooted in physical experience and cultural interaction. Basic concepts like "up/down" and "container" arise from bodily experiences (e.g., standing upright, holding objects). Metaphors extend these to abstract ideas—for example, "happy is up" (from upright posture) or "time is a moving object" (from observing motion). Cultural differences shape these mappings; some societies might view the future as "behind" (not "ahead"). Concepts are either directly emergent (e.g., "object") or metaphorically extended (e.g., "ideas are objects"). In short, our minds use body-based experiences and cultural norms to build meaning, with metaphor as the bridge between concrete and abstract thought.
Reflection
This chapter revealed how "natural" concepts like "progress = up" are actually shaped by our bodies and culture. Saying "I’m drained" (using "energy as a substance") makes sense because we feel physical exhaustion, but another culture might frame tiredness differently.
I also wondered: How many "obvious" ideas are just cultural shortcuts? For example, seeing a group as a "family" (metaphor) influences how we treat them. Being aware of this helps me challenge assumptions and appreciate how other cultures might use different metaphors to make sense of the same world. Ultimately, Chapter 12 shows that thought is never "pure" or detached—it’s always rooted in where we’ve been and how we move.